The Middle
by PrincessKayte
Summary: Hermione is feeling stuck in the middle until she finds that the middle isn't so bad after all.


The Middle  
  
PrincessKayte  
  
She was one of those people who always seemed to be in the middle of things. She was in the middle of things a lot these days, but she was never really noticed, as things in the middle tend to be overlooked. Right now, she was in the middle of her school career. She had just gotten out of the middle of exams. Today had been her last one, and she was relieved, if not happy. She looked over when she heard that malicious giggle. It was Lavender Brown, as it usually was, and Parvati, whom she had a bit of a relationship with. Lavender laughed again, high-pitched and cold.  
  
"Hey, your bag's soaked with ink," and Lavender and Parvati laughed. She looked down in dismay, and sure enough, her inkbottle had smashed and blue was soaking her papers and books. Lavender laughed viciously. "Can't you do anything right?" She sashayed off with Parvati, throwing a haughty glance over her shoulder at the girl she left behind. She picked at her bag sadly. She could always clean it up later, but she hated it when Lavender pointed out all her mistakes.  
  
((Hey, don't write yourself off yet))  
  
She saw Ron and Harry approaching, but she wasn't in the mood to talk to the two boys, whose neckties were undone in obvious joy at finally finishing their exams. She picked up her pace and turned down the first corridor she could. She heard Ron say behind her, put off a bit,  
  
"What the hell's wrong with her?" and Harry replied, "Donno."  
  
((It's only in your head you feel left out, or looked down on))  
  
She could hardly remember where she was going, but because she had been attending school at Hogwarts for four years, she did manage to find her way to the Common Room. As she walked down the familiar walkway, she heard the familiar voices of Harry and Ron. She felt burning anger for no reason, and unbidden tears came into her eyes. She was so sick of being stuck in the middle of everything. She prodded her bag with the tip of her wand and the ink evaporated away.  
  
((Just try your best, try everything you can))  
  
She heard their conversation as they neared the other side of the hallway.  
  
"Wonder why Hermione's been so distant lately?" It was Harry, and Ron replied in a put-off voice,  
  
"I donno, Harry, but it's really irritating. Sometimes she's so selfish."  
  
Without another word she ran down a small corridor, tears blinding her, frustrating her. She didn't hear Ron finish his thought.  
  
"I hope she's okay."  
  
((Don't you worry what they tell themselves while you're away))  
  
She hated them as she ran. She hated Harry for being so heroic all the time, so perfect and so chivalrous. She hated Ron for being so open and so funny, even if sarcastic, and she hated them both for being friends with each other. She hated them for putting her as the second best and she hated being stuck between them in their fights.  
  
((It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle, it'll up the ride, and everything will be alright, everything will be just fine.))  
  
She passed Pansy and her gang of Slytherin girls as she escaped from the only two people she'd really called friends at Hogwarts, and they laughed at her crying. It would have bothered her if it didn't strike a nerve inside of her. She slowed to a walk, then a stop, and she watched them as they walked away from her, giggling.  
  
((You know they're all the same))  
  
She realized that she didn't want to be like them- vicious and cruel, fickle- she wanted to be who she was. She liked to study, she was deadly afraid of Quidditch, and she honestly was at peace with herself. At least, she thought she was. She realized that they'd been meddling with her mind. And she realized she'd had enough. She turned, and began to walk, then run.  
  
((You know you're doing better on your own, so don't buy in))  
  
She ran faster than she ever had, she had no idea while she was doing it how fast she was running. She noticed only that it felt right.  
  
((Live right now; just be yourself))  
  
She ran so fast she passed the Slytherins, who stared in horror at her, then in anger, and yelled as she passed and continued, "Mudblood, where's your fire?" She felt her face hurt. She didn't know why.  
  
((It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else))  
  
She realized now that there were shallow people everywhere, Muggles and wizards, it didn't matter if you had magic or not. People were cruel. Finally, she realized that she was happy right where she was. Even if she was in the middle of it all. She was in the middle of two worlds, and she loved that she was. She was in the middle of her school, and she was excited to see what came, and she treasured what had been. She was in the middle of her two best friends: and she loved them both. She was in the middle, and life was more exciting because of it, and her face ached like it never had.  
  
((It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle, it'll up the ride, everything will be just fine, everything will be alright.))  
  
She burst through the Common Room door and caused such an uproar everyone went quiet. She looked around at the stunned faces. She saw the unmistakable twins, Lee, the older girls, the younger girls and boys, and then she saw Lavender and Parvati. They were working on their Transfiguration homework. She walked over to them, her face feeling like it would rip in half.  
  
"Hey, Lavender, Parvati," she said cheerfully. "That's the wrong spell. You want the Helitos spell, not the Katrasta." She walked to Ron and Harry, and linked arms with them.  
  
((Don't write yourself off yet, it's only in your head you fell left out, or looked down on))  
  
Lavender and Parvati stared at her, shocked and appaled, then angry.  
  
"We know how it was done- I just wrote it wrong," Lavender snapped. Hermione smiled brilliantly.  
  
((Just do your best, do everything you can))  
  
"Well, I'm glad I could help you fix it." She smiled and turned to Ron and Harry as Parvati scratched out the wrong spell on her paper.  
  
"Wow," Ron said. Harry looked at her in amazement. She had never stood up for herself before.  
  
"That was really brave, Herm," Harry said, sincerely proud of her. She felt her cheeks stretch wider and her face ached again. She saw Parvati and Lavender whispering again. This time, she didn't care.  
  
((And don't you worry what their bitter hearts are gonna say))  
  
"Hey, Hermione, d'you want to go play Exploding Snap with Fred and George?" She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as they were walking out, looking back at her, still a bit amazed.  
  
((It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle, it'll up the ride, everything is gonna be just fine, everything is gonna be alright.))  
  
She realized her face ached because she was smiling so wide. She looked back at Harry and Ron.  
  
"Let's go," Hermione said, and the three of them walked out of the Common Room, Hermione in the middle between her two best friends.  
  
((Everything, everything will be alright.)) 


End file.
